This week’s blog was written by Sama, a Bucktails alum. Sama shares how her experience this past summer at the Wildlife Leadership Academy changed her life.
The Wildlife Leadership Academy changed me, in the best way possible. The few days I spent at camp affected me more than most years of my life have. Every second was turned into a learning opportunity, in a way that I’d never had the chance to experience before. That’s without talking about the amount of community that existed at camp.
I’ve always been the introverted type, struggling with making myself heard and talking to others. At WLA, everything changed. Everyone was accepting, kind, and open to learning. If I’m being honest, it was impossible not to be extroverted. Whenever I felt down, there was always someone to lift me up. Whenever mistakes were made, everyone learned from them without judgment.
The friends I made at WLA are some of the truest friends I’ve ever had, and what I learned about conservation made me rethink my life path. While I have always liked nature, I hadn’t seen a career for myself in the field until I attended WLA. Getting to experience being a conservationist firsthand and seeing how passionate our many mentors were showed me that I may truly have a place in the world keeping nature safe.
I can’t recommend WLA enough for others like me. People who never thought they could excel in highly social environments. People who like nature but aren’t already involved in conservation. WLA, for me, served as the perfect stepping stone into my future, and I hope that it will do the same for many students to come.
Finding My Place in Conservation: How WLA Changed My Life
Posted: October 9, 2026 by Katie Mace
This week’s blog was written by Sama, a Bucktails alum. Sama shares how her experience this past summer at the Wildlife Leadership Academy changed her life.
The Wildlife Leadership Academy changed me, in the best way possible. The few days I spent at camp affected me more than most years of my life have. Every second was turned into a learning opportunity, in a way that I’d never had the chance to experience before. That’s without talking about the amount of community that existed at camp.
I’ve always been the introverted type, struggling with making myself heard and talking to others. At WLA, everything changed. Everyone was accepting, kind, and open to learning. If I’m being honest, it was impossible not to be extroverted. Whenever I felt down, there was always someone to lift me up. Whenever mistakes were made, everyone learned from them without judgment.
The friends I made at WLA are some of the truest friends I’ve ever had, and what I learned about conservation made me rethink my life path. While I have always liked nature, I hadn’t seen a career for myself in the field until I attended WLA. Getting to experience being a conservationist firsthand and seeing how passionate our many mentors were showed me that I may truly have a place in the world keeping nature safe.
I can’t recommend WLA enough for others like me. People who never thought they could excel in highly social environments. People who like nature but aren’t already involved in conservation. WLA, for me, served as the perfect stepping stone into my future, and I hope that it will do the same for many students to come.
Category: Youth Blog Tags: featured